I thought I would start a thread on how your brewery works. I've been in the trades for a long time and own a mechanical contracting company. We do steam boilers, HVAC and plumbing.

First Equipment. When you get ready to start building a brewery is to know that what you use at home. Your not going to be able to use in the commercial world. Just because it works in WA doesn't mean in MN you can use it. The local inspectors will tell you what you can and can't do. They tell you what goes on, you tell them nothing.

Second. You get what you paid for. That really cheap boiler from south of the boarder isn't going to work when it comes off the ship and will take more time and money to fix than a new one.

Third. Contractors don't work for free and neither do their employees. Just because you want to work for next to nothing doesn't mean the guys welding the steam header do. It costs a lot to run a business, much more than you think.

Forth. Engineer, hire one if your building from scratch, the best way is to buy a complete system from a dealer. One that will provide what we call as shop drawings i.e. schematics for piping and electrical.

I want to brew a cream ale for my first AG. I was thinking of getting a AG kit from Midwest Supplies but I've been reading up on and was thinking I might want to do my own thing. This is what I have come up with for a 5 gal batch